APD: Alpenglow student threatened another with a knife after school

A student at Alpenglow Elementary was charged with assault after allegedly brandishing a knife at another student while they were walking home from school.

On Oct. 18, Anchorage School District officials notified police that a student had pulled a knife on another student two days before while both were walking home from the school on Driftwood Bay Drive. Police arrived at the school and charged the boy with third-degree assault. He was released to his parents.

According to APD spokeswoman Renee Oistad, the student pulled a kitchen knife from his backpack and allegedly threatened the other student.

ASD spokeswoman Catherine Esary said she could not answer questions about the incident due to student privacy laws. She said the parents of the students involved in the incident were contacted, but would not say whether other parents at the school were informed of the incident. Esary said she could not answer how and when the school found out about the incident, whether any disciplinary action was taken or provide any other specifics of the district’s handling of the incident. She instead noted that student conduct is covered in the district’s handbook, which is available online.

According to the ASD Elementary School Student Handbook, schools have jurisdiction over students while off school property if a student’s actions “have direct and immediate effect either on school decorum or the welfare, safety or morals of students.” According to the handbook, “assault with a weapon will lead to a recommendation for expulsion.”